Image Credit: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Lionsgate announced today that British character actor Toby Jones — if you haven’t seen his take on Truman Capote, rent Infamous immediately — has been tapped for The Hunger Games, the adaptation of the first installment in Suzanne Collins’ best-selling YA trilogy. He’ll play bombastic Hunger Games announcer Claudius Templesmith, known for ending all of his pronouncements with his booming trademark line “and may the odds be ever in your favor!” Jones’ casting follows today’s news that Lenny Kravitz will bring the most beloved Cinna character to life.
Filming on The Hunger Games, which stars, among many others, Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, and Elizabeth Banks, just commenced in North Carolina. EW recently revealed an exclusive first look at Lawrence in costume as trilogy heroine Katniss.
For more on The Hunger Games, including photos of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and a guide to the film’s other characters, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands now.
Read more:
First look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in ‘The Hunger Games’
‘Hunger Games’ Central
‘Hunger Games’: Meet the Cast!
He is also the voice of Dobby, from the Harry Potter films.
‘Arry Pottah
I love this.
Okay. I need to read this series again. Doesn’t Stanley Tucci’s character do the announcing??
I don’t remember a Claudius.
But I just heard Lenny Kravitz will be Cinna. Interesting.
Nah, Stanley Tucci’s character (Caesar Flickerman) is basically just the contestant interviewer.
Claudius is pretty much a glorified ‘Trailer Voice-Over Guy’.
Who will they cast as buttercup?
a) a very old geriatric cat that is also a great actor because after all in movies and tv old cats always play kittens.
b) a red or black cat with acting experience and awards nominations because after all color is not important they will dye its hair and acting is more important. Plus it’s impossible to cast a yellow cat that also has acting talent.
c) a black old cat that became famous not because his acting but its singing but had a 5 minute role in a movie and gary ross liked his acting.
d) Cate blanchet! She is an oscar winner actress and because of that she can pull off anything. If you don’t think she is the right one watch all of her previous movies. She even played BOB DYLAN!
e) a yellow mashed-in nose,half of one ear missing, eyes the color of rotting squad.
f) a squirrel or a dog because there is one thing called makeup and there’s also Hollywood magic.
G)None of the above they will just cut out Buttercup because he is a minor role.
Hunger Games announcer Claudius Templesmith, known for ending all of his pronouncements with his booming trademark line “and may the odds be ever in your favor!”
Actually, no, this is an Effie Trinkett line, not Templesmith….
It’s the slogan of the Hunger Games… so they both use it. But Claudius says it a lot.
Interesting…I always pictured someone like Tim Curry. But we know Jones can do voices…
he looks like he is 4 feet tall! i hope that we dont see him announce, also who’s the interviewer for the games isn’t it like caeser something?
Stanley Tucci
What on earth does his height have to do with him playing the role? And for calling yourself the #1 fan, you should really know the answer to your own question.
alright calm down i was just saying he looks really short! i am not saying that he will appear that tall in the movie or that i have anything against him! also i just forgot Caeser flickermans last name! jeez! bet you didn’t know his last name!
He will be great. He is a great voice actor. At least one good casting decision has been made as of late as Lenny Kravitz as Cinna is a complete joke.
Look, I love the Hunger Games and I’m excited about the movie(s), but EW needs to chill out on the excessive coverage of EVERY LAST DETAIL of the film’s production. I know you EW writers loved the books (because you only cover books, movies and celebs that you love), but please stop spoiling it. What’s next? Announcements about who’s doing the lighting and getting the actors coffee?
only if they are famous or newsworthy in some other way
Here’s my only complaint about Steve’s argument: I would not have known about The Hunger Games series without EW. I don’t read a lot, admittedly, and I don’t follow what’s hot and what’s not in literature. But they covered this a few times, so I gave it a shot, and loved it. So – if more people are inspired to read because of what they read on ew.com, so be it.
Same here, except I read a lot. If I hadn’t kept seeing articles about it I most likely would not have looked into the books. I’m very glad I did.
Besides, any Hunger Games article is a refreshing change from all the Lady BlahBlah over exposure-over hype that’s been going on.
Sarah I agree with you. I do read alot but usually books of a different genre. Thanks to sites like EW that starting writing about The Hunger Games alot, I gave the books a shot and LOVED them! If promoting the movie encourages some people to read the books, I think that’s great. If some people are tired of seeing Hunger Games updates, read other articles on EW – there’s plenty to choose from.
Jones is a brilliant actor. I’m tempted to see this one in the theatres given the stellar cast being put together.
omg, all you people need to chill out. love it or hate it, there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO to predict or prevent casting. obviously, the cast chosen, were chosen for the right reasons.
everyone is always this excited for casting news in any movie. i remember reading casting news on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and people getting all worked up. And Lord of the Rings and Twilight and this and that and blah blah blah.
Relax.
Seeing the photo and reading about half of the headline made me think they had cast Garrison Keillor, which would also be totally awesome.
What makes someone a “character actor?” I’ve heard that term so many times and still have little idea of what it means.
He will be great. Toby is a fantastic actor and great at voice also. I wonder if we’ll see Claudius at all, or just hear him.
was he the guy who played the dreamlord in the fifth season of doctor who?
A character actor is usually someone who does not have typical Hollywood good looks but will play the villian or the schmuck or the best friend. Costumes, rumpled clothing, prosthetics, a certain way of walking, talking. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Dustin Hoffman, pretty much every single secondary British actor in the Harry Potter Films….all examples of character actors.
Yay, great choice!!!
I always heard Claudius with that Forensic Files voice over guy’s intonation, so I have faith that Toby is going to do something to command his small part. He’s a great actor and was underappreciated in Infamous I think bc Hoffman was also doing Capote.